A review by ink_at_heart
A Head Full of Ghosts by Paul Tremblay

dark emotional sad medium-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? A mix
  • Strong character development? N/A
  • Loveable characters? It's complicated
  • Diverse cast of characters? No
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

5.0

The plot and characters of this book moved (and scared) me like no book has in a long time. I usually steer clear of possession horror—because it either doesn’t scare me at all or it scares me too much—but I decided to read this one because I kept seeing it recommended on TikTok and curiosity got the best of me. I’m glad I read it—but, man, this book wrecked me.

In A Head Full of Ghosts, Tremblay really establishes and reminds the reader of the bond between Merry and Marjorie, which is what really got to me in this book (though I might have an innate weakness to this story since I’m an older sister myself). Sure, Tremblay isn’t shy on the horror end of things either—I had to take a week-long break from reading it after I finished Chapter 11 because it freaked me out so bad—but the relationship between the sisters and the ending were what really broke me and broke my heart.

It’s been about two weeks since I’ve finished this book, but I still think about it—and I have a feeling it’ll be one of those books that always stays with me.

So, long story short, if you’re looking for a possession horror novel that’s both scary as hell and heartbreaking as hell—look no further!

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